3.1. Ox-LDL Significantly Promotes VSMC-Derived Macrophage-Like
Foam Cell Death
We evaluated the effects of different concentrations of ox-LDL on
VSMC-derived macrophage-like foam
cell death. VSMCs were
established by treatment with 5 μg/mL cholesterol for 72 h, followed by
incubation with different concentrations of ox-LDL for 24 h. Ox-LDL
exerted a cell death-inducing effect at a relatively low concentration
of 10 μg/mL (Fig. 1a and b). The Ox-LDL-treated cells also showed
significant changes in the mtROS
levels and ΔΨm, in an ox-LDL dose-dependent manner (Fig. 1c and d). To
further characterize the changes in cellular function, we performed
qRT-PCR. The results showed that ox-LDL substantially increased the mRNA
level of pro-atherosclerotic genes and inflammatory factors (CD36, CD47,
ICAM-1, VCAM-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, MCP-1, MMP9, and PCSK9) (Fig. 1e)
but significantly decreased the expression of the VSMC contraction
phenotype marker MYH11 (Fig. 1e).